The Public Transport Users’ Association (PTUA) is concerned with the poor implementation of the new Wellington bus network affecting thousands of commuters.

Once again, public transport users have been left behind and are wearing the brunt of poor planning and implementation by a council. “It’s all good for Greater Wellington Regional Council to say issues over bus driver pay and staffing are out of its hands. The truth is they selected the new bus network operators. GWRC are fully implicated in the shambles currently affecting bus passengers” Jon Reeves, Co-ordinator of the PTUA said.

In any normal organisation senior management would be called to account. Not at the GWRC where it appears management “wish” they delayed the implementation by six months. Fact of the matter is there were enough bus drivers in Wellington but the significant winning tenderer for the bulk of bus contracts would not honour both the pay and conditions the previous operator (NZ Bus) had in place with their drivers. Consequently, many bus drivers have refused to work for what ends up being worse pay and conditions and exited the industry. This has lead to bus services being cancelled, operating on the wrong routes, mass confusion for bus commuters and now a strike by bus drivers this coming week.

The PTUA suggests senior GWRC management immediately step in to sort out the mess they have caused for Wellington bus passengers. Reeves says, “If GWRC management don’t step in then it shows a lack of credibility at GWRC to really care for bus passengers. Actions speak louder than words. Bus passengers expect better of them”.

The PTUA suggests the GWRC makes amends with bus passengers by offering one month of bus free travel while it sorts out the mayhem facing commuters. ENDS

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